Episode 90. Festival Outing (2)
“wow…….”
“Hey, I told you to shut up. Stop drooling! This is so embarrassing, it’s embarrassing!”
They walked along the alleys embroidered with lanterns and chattered. However, no citizens paid them any attention. The streets were so noisy that even the loud voices of the giants were easily drowned out.
Whirli-ri-ri-ri-rik, bang!
Whirli-ri-ri-ri-rik, bang! bang!
Firecrackers exploded in the sky. Citizens sang songs while looking at the colorful pictures created in the night sky.
All the citizens had thrown off their white robes. They took out the colorful clothes they had stored away at home and ran through the streets as if they had been liberated.
“I think this is Mason’s house.”
Kuze, who had been walking ahead, stopped and looked at the map. Mason, that was the child’s name.
The area where the child’s house was located was a district where ordinary citizens lived. There were no rich people or nobles here. Mason’s cheerful voice could be heard through the wide open front door.
The front door led into a hallway shared with other tenants, and at the end of the hallway was a spacious backyard, a common space shared with people from other buildings.
Rubin and his party walked towards the common area.
“Welcome!”
“Come quickly, the food just arrived.”
All the neighbors gathered together and waited for Rubin and his party.
The neighbors had no idea who Rubin was. They simply thought he was a traveler, since Mason kept what he saw and heard at the Black Tower a secret.
“Hey, latecomers! Anyway, nice to meet you. So, what are you all doing? Let’s quickly raise our glasses and have a toast. Why are you lingering like this? Life is not enough if you just enjoy it!”
A middle-aged woman who controls the atmosphere. She suddenly raises her glass and proposes a toast. She is extremely brash.
Neither Mason’s parents nor the neighbors seemed to know her, but everyone else assumed so.
Because right now, all over Philimond, people who had never met each other were gathering together, laughing and talking.
“Tina, you really came first.”
Kuze said, holding back laughter. The sassy woman was Tina. She was still cheering with her mint colored eyes wide open.
“Ta-da! Ta-da! Ta-da! Drink it, hey, over there! I told you to drink it!”
“I wish Grandpa Killian had come too.”
While the adults were sharing a drink, Mason came up to Rubin and said regretfully.
Perhaps the person Mason should be most grateful to is Killian, but he has long since left Philimond.
If I had been here, I think I would have shown good chemistry with Tina.
“Your Majesty, if I write a letter to Grandpa Killian, could you please pass it on to him?”
“I can’t guarantee when we’ll meet again.”
“But keep it and tell me when you meet me!”
As Rubin nodded, Mason hurried up to his house. Mason now seemed like a completely different person than he was in the black zone.
After that, the festive atmosphere became even more intense.
The people gathered in the back room chattered loudly, but they avoided talking about politics. Not a single person mentioned Amret or the emperor.
Even the drunk person knew how dangerous it was.
“Ah, I lost again! I lost again!”
“Oh my, I almost fell asleep because of how poor my skills were.”
“Don’t tease me!”
People were having fun and having fun. Rubin walked over to an old man who was playing a board game at a table on one side.
Board game ‘Phillimong’.
It was a tactical board game that started in Philimond and spread widely across the continent. Each player moves thirteen black and white pieces to defeat the opponent. There was a unique method in which the opponent decided which piece to move.
“Kid, can you do this?”
“Well, a little.”
“Would you like to try? I don’t have any rivals right now.”
Rubin sat down across from the old man. He was a very arrogant old man. Then Mason came over and whispered in Rubin’s ear.
“That old man is a real expert. He has no rivals in this neighborhood, and he’s the third best in Phillymond.”
“okay?”
“And he’s really stingy! He’s the kind of person who can’t do anything without money.”
“Hey, are you going to do it or not? I have to make a bet even though I’m a little kid.”
The old man muttered. As Mason said, the old man had never been defeated by Philimong more than ten times. And that was only when he had fought against Philimong champions.
He was so well versed in the Philimon records that were available on the market that he was even considering publishing a new strategy book.
“Is this the board game that the Imperial Army is playing for tactical research?”
“Haha, you know a lot. It may sound like a play on words, but there are actually tactics that can be used in actual warfare. So, do you want to do it?”
“I will do it.”
“I say again, in the world of competition, there is no such thing as leniency.”
Rubin scratched his chin and said nonchalantly.
“I heard the Mason family is your landlord. I bet… I’ll bet on this month’s rent.”
“Heh heh heh heh.”
The old man smiled with wide eyes. At that moment, Kuje approached and showed the gold coins he was holding. It was enough money to pay the Mason family’s rent.
The old man’s eyes lit up as he checked the money. If a rich young master comes out like this, he should be taught how to live properly.
The old man leaned toward the table. With that movement, the Philimon betting began.
And 15 minutes later.
“This can’t be happening.”
“I won?”
“That’s ridiculous.”
The old man blinked. After fifteen minutes of twenty-three moves, the result was a complete defeat.
“What is your identity?”
I couldn’t believe it. The atmosphere flows according to each word spoken. But how can I sense the atmosphere of an old man from this little blob of blood?
——————
faqwiki.us
Join our Discord for new chapter updates!
https://discord.com/invite/xr7SxG5T6V
——————
“You are a genius, no… you are the child who will become the god of Philimong!”
The old man was excited. ‘Haneke’s version’, which has become one of the classics of Philimon’s strategy books. I couldn’t believe that it was unfolding right before my eyes.
“Then, I guess you don’t have to charge me rent this month.”
At that point, Rubin got up from his seat. Haneke’s voice sounded regretful inside. But he couldn’t just spend the whole festival competing with Philimon.
Leaving the old man with his head in his hands, Rubin went over to where the arm wrestling match was taking place.
“Hahahaha! I still have plenty of energy, is there anyone else who wants to attack me?”
A man of sturdy build was on a winning streak. Those who had bet on the challenger’s side, thinking that he was starting to tire, shook their heads.
That was when.
“Hey, look. You’re so good at arm wrestling? I’ll send one out and let’s have a match!”
“Welcome, Madam. Bring them all.”
“Okay, everyone, put your money on it! The player I brought is this guy.”
The one who appeared, taking over the atmosphere, was a sassy middle-aged woman named Tina. She was trying hard to suppress her sinister laughter. Because the challenger she had brought was none other than A-Keu-Keu.
“Do you ignore me because I’m a woman? Even though I look like this, I’m a very good fighter.”
Tina spoke with a bloodshot face, but no one was willing to bet money on Cozy.
Everyone bet on the big guy. But that was what Tina wanted. For Tina to win a lot of money, the other side had to have a high chance of winning.
“Won’t you all really regret it?”
“Let’s get started quickly. No one is betting money on that.”
“Then I’ll do it myself, haha. I trust this guy!”
Tina sat Cozy down across from her at the arm wrestling table. Then she playfully stroked Cozy’s curly hair and smiled wickedly.
“Curly-haired player! Don’t push yourself too hard, let’s spend some money.”
“I, ma’am, but right now I… … .”
“Oh my! I know everything. If you try hard, this table will break. So just try hard enough to win. Got it?”
“No, that’s it, right now… … .”
“Oh my, that look in your eyes! I love it so much. You look so cute, haha. You look so strong, don’t you? Just don’t forget that I put in half of the money I saved, haha.”
That’s how the arm wrestling started. Tina’s expression was bright.
Even if they are not in a giant state, a giant can display incredible strength that is incomparable to that of a normal person. If only there was information that Acozy was a giant, anyone would have followed Tina’s choice.
But Tina had a fatal omission in information about Cozy.
“Sister, what are you doing? Oh, arm wrestling… Oh. Sister, did you drink?”
It was Warak who was wandering around looking for comfort.
At that time, A-Keuk’s arms were tilted outwards for a long time. Tina’s face was turning increasingly blue.
thud.
Finally, in front of Tina’s eyes, the back of A-cook’s hand touched the table.
“That’s ridiculous! Why aren’t you trying hard? You took bribes from that big guy!”
“I’m the type of person who loses strength when I drink… … .”
“What! Are all giants like that?”
“No, just me… … .”
The hazy eyes that were satisfied with Tina’s appearance of being strong. That just meant that she was getting comfortably drunk.
“My money! My money!”
Tina, in despair, held back tears and left the crowd. Rubin and Kuze approached her.
Tina, who had been gloomy, opened her eyes wide. Something in Kuze’s hand was sparkling enough to captivate her.
“Kuje, what is that?”
“This is a gift from Tina, brought from the black zone.”
“Oh, that’s the gift Rubin was talking about! Why are you only showing it to me now!”
One kunai made of red ore and one karambit inlaid with jewels. Tina held the two daggers in her hands and continued to ponder with a serious expression on her face.
“I have this!”
“I didn’t mean to tell you to choose one, I meant to tell you to use both.”
“Do you think I’m crazy about having a weapon like you guys?”
In terms of value as a weapon, the kunai made of red ore was much higher, but what Tina chose was a karambit inlaid with jewels. That seemed sufficient.
“Are you sure you’ll be okay with just one?”
“I told you it’s okay!”
“hmm.”
At that moment, a good idea occurred to Kuze. He asked permission to dispose of the remaining dagger himself, and then he went to find Mason with it.
“Are you going to go now?”
Mason asked with regret. Rubin nodded in response.
“Yeah, I’m going to play until here today. But I wonder what Kuze will give you.”
“yes?”
“Here, this.”
Mason received the heavy dagger that Kuze had handed him with both hands. When he saw the dagger, memories of the Black Zone naturally came to Mason’s mind. His expression became tense.
“You’re the one who came out of the black zone alive. I think there are less than ten people who have come out alive so far.”
“Then is this… a souvenir?”
“It’s a souvenir. Well, I guess that’s what it is.”
Of course, it would be nice if it could remain as a memento, but who knows. If another crisis comes and his family is in danger, Mason will have to take up this dagger himself and face it.
“And you, you dream of being a blacksmith? Well, this is a well-made weapon, so it would be good to look at it often and study it.”
It was true. The red ore itself was rare, and the kunai that had been craftily refined were also rare. Mason smiled brightly and hugged Kuze for a moment.
After saying their goodbyes, Rubin and his party left Mason’s house.
A drunken Cozy. A Warak supporting such a sister. A middle-aged woman grumbling next to Cozy. A simply happy Kuze. And a silent Rubin.
Everyone returned to the Blue Cat.
The Blue Cat was rocking pleasantly on the calm waves. Rubin, who was looking at the city that was ablaze with sleep, turned his gaze to the fireworks exploding in the sky.
Whirlirik, bang!
Whirlirik, bang! bang!
The festival would continue tomorrow, but Rubin had a feeling that today’s break would remain a particularly vivid memory.
‘The final destination is Capotini.’
Rubin was already thinking about the week after the festival. If they set sail a week later, they could arrive in five days on the speedboat Blue Cat.
The city of wizards.
A new life in the annex.
An assassination target at the magic school.
A natural determination appeared on Rubin’s face. Perhaps Rubin’s celebration was already over.
